Combination toy dog and vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A toy dog closely resembling a real dog and having a hollow interior in which is mounted a vacuum cleaner having a suction hose which is retractable from the tail end of the dog. This enables vacuuming a dog after a hair cut and grooming without causing fear to the dog, inasmuch as the vacuum cleaner noise is greatly muffed by such enclosure. The vacuum cleaner is convertible to a blower and air issuing from the tail end can be heated so as to serve as a dryer.

United States Patent Zaleski Nov. 13, 1973 COMBINATION TOY DOG AND VACUUM 2,421,958 6/1947 Moretti 46/116 ux CLEANER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS liivcmcri Anne Margaret Zaleski, 314 57th 387,061 2 1933 Great Britain 118/268 St, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15201 355,905 9/1961 Switzerland 15 323 22 F1 d: M 1972 l 1 l e at Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite [21] Appl. No.: 235,290 Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Related us. Application Data Ruan" [63] gssnljirxlzzton-in-part of Ser. No. 8,963, Feb. 5, I970, ABSTRACT A toy dog closely resembling a real dog and having a [52] us. Cl. 15/330, 46/116 hollow interior in which is mounted a v m cle ner [51] Int. Cl A47] 5/12 having a suction hose which is retractable from the tall [58] Field of Search 46/116; 15/257, 323, end of the g- This enables vacuuming a dog after a 15/327 D, 327 E, 328 330 335 hair cut and grooming without causing fear to the dog, inasmuch as the vacuum cleaner noise is greatly [56] References Cited muffed by such enclosure. The vacuum cleaner is con- UNITED STATES PATENTS vertible to a blower and air issuing from the tail end 2,367,437 1 1945 Salt 15/323 can be heated so as to Serve as a dryer 3,002,215 10/ 1961 MacFarland 15/328 X 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures COMBINATION TOY DOG AND VACUUM CLEANER This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner for grooming dogs and similar pets and is a continuationin-part of the invention described in my application Ser. No. 8963 filed Feb. 5, 1970, andnow abondoned. More specifically, it relates to a toy dog and vacuum cleaner combination for overcoming fear in a live dog. In the past, vacuum cleaners have been devised for use on dogs for cleaning clipped hair and the like. These have not met with success because of the'fear instilled in a dog at the sight of a vacuum cleaner' and because of its very loud noise. I

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel combination of a toy dog and vacuum cleaner enclosed completely within the body of a toy dog so as to overcome the abovenamed disadvantages.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner in a toy animal for muffling the sound of the cleaner and which animal has a body portion which contains air inlet and outlet openings for the vacuum cl'eaner,- the tail of the dog being retractable and usable as a suction nozzle.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toy dog with the vacuum bag 22 and cover plate 21 removed and with parts of the body shown broken away to more clearly illustrate an enclosed vacuum cleaner when used as a blower and dryer.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the tail 7;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged'view of the heater in housing 4 shown partly broken away;

FIG. 4 shows the vacuum cleaner construction inside body I for vacuum cleaning; and,

FIG. 5 shows the vacuum-blower and heater controls of FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, numeral 1 is an enclosure of sound deadening material in the shape of a toy dog or other animal, preferably of the general configuration and appearance of the particular pet to be groomed. Numeral 2 denotes the bottom or stomach portion of the toy dog which is provided with a removable or pivotal door for access to the interior.

Enclosed within the toy animal is a vacuum cleaner 3 of any well known type which includes a motor and blower (not shown) and a vacuum bag 22, for collect-- ing cut hairs while grooming the dog and a flexible hose 5 which terminates in a screw collar. Collar 6 carries a tail 7 in the form of an oval housing with an oval nozzle or opening 8 with a brush or comb therearound to be applied to a dog. Collar 6 may screw into the rear end of the body for'normally holding the tail 7 or hose 5 in place. a

Nozzle 8 serves,.selectively, as a vacuum inlet, for sucking in hairs that are clipped or are loose on the dog's body, or for blowing air, such as warm air, for

.drying the dog after a bath. To convert from a vacuum If desired, a hole 16 may be provided in end plate 14 to receive a locking pin (not shown) on the inside of cover 21. Air enters the dog interior through inlet grill 10a supported in frame 9 detachably connected at 11 to the dog housing.

Also the tail 7 may be filled with flea powder or talcum powder while nozzle 8 is closed with a plate having small holes (not shown), or it may be used simply as a brush if bristles are applied to the perimeter of nozzle 8.

When the end plate 21 and vacuum bag 22 are removed so as to provide a blower as shown in FIG. 1, the air forced through outlet 4 may be heated therein by a heating coil 18 mounted on an insulator l7 and having terminals 19 and 20 which are energized when switch 13 is at the upper position.

When it is desired to use the device as a vacuum cleaner, as shown in FIG. 4, hose 5 is removed from outlet 4 and connected to inlet 23 and'the tail 7 or nozzle, partially covered with hairs to simulate a tail, is pulled out or retracted, after unscrewing its screw collar 6 with respect to the threaded end portion of hose 5, and may be extended or retracted a considerable length of the hose to enable the nozzle 8 to be moved about the outside body surface of a real dog, or other animal, particularly after its hair is cut and trimmed.

After completion of the vacuum cleaning, the dogs tail 7 is either pushed back into the position shown or may be automatically retracted thereto by the use of any well known retractable reel, such as used for air hoses in service stations.

If the cleaner is to be used as a blower and dryer after a dogs bath, vacuum bag 22 and end plate cover 21 are removed to change the structure from that shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 1 and switch 12 is moved downwardly and switch 13 upwardly to insert the heater 18 in the circuit. If desired, a separate blower and vacuum device may be used instead.

An outstanding advantage of the above described combination toy dog and vacuum cleaner is that the vacuum cleaner and blower are not only completely concealed from'view, but the disturbing noise emanating therefrom is greatly muffled by being inside the toy dog so as not to make a sufficient noise as to frighten the real dog or other animal.

Another advantage is the very convenient manner of retracting the suction nozzle from the toy dog body when it is to be used to vacuum-clean or blower-dry a real dog after his hair has been cut and trimmed.

It will be readily obvious that other shapes of dogs, not shown, may be used instead, preferably one to correspond to the particular type dog to be groomed so that he will feel more friendly toward it. Of course, cats or other pets may be similarly simulated in the toy animal configuration. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel combination and arrangement of a toy animal, such as a dog, and vacuum cleaner and blower for completely concealing and mufi'ling the noises of a vacuum cleaner and blower within the confines of the body of a toy animal.

While I have illustrated and described a single. specific embodiment of my invention it will be understood that this is by way of illustration only and that various changes and modifications may be contemplated within the scope of the following claims.

I calim:

1. In combination, a toy animal closely resembling a dog and having a hair covered shell and a hollow interior, a vacuum cleaner enclosed in said interior including a suction hose having a nozzle at the end thereof de tachably fastened to the tail end of said dog and being retractable outwardly therefrom, said nozzle being of the general configuration of a tail for said dog.

2. A toy dog as recited in claim 1 including means for converting said vacuum cleaner to a blower so as to blow air from said nozzle.

3. A toy dog as recited in claim 2 together with a heater for heating air emanating from said blower so tion of the dog. 

1. In combination, a toy animal closely resembling a dog and having a hair covered shell and a hollow interior, a vacuum cleaner enclosed in said interior including a suction hose having a nozzle at the end thereof detachably fastened to the tail end of said dog and being retractable outwardly therefrom, said nozzle being of the general configuration of a tail for said dog.
 2. A toy dog as recited in claim 1 including means for converting said vacuum cleaner to a blower so as tO blow air from said nozzle.
 3. A toy dog as recited in claim 2 together with a heater for heating air emanating from said blower so that heated air issuing from said nozzle serves as a dryer.
 4. A toy dog as recited in claim 2 wherein said means includes an end cover plate air inlet unit converting a blower into a vacuum cleaner when said suction hose is removed from the outlet and connected to the inlet of the vacuum cleaner.
 5. A toy dog as recited in claim 1 together with an air inlet grille mounted on the front end portion of said dog and an access door located in the lower stomach portion of the dog. 